Pavani, Sara, Edurado and Jun were International House Oulu ambassadors 2023.
Would you like to get to know what it’s like to study or work in Oulu? Meet our international talent who live in Oulu and read their inspirational stories.
Embark on a captivating journey through the lives of individuals who have chosen Oulu as their springboard to success. Whether you’re contemplating your next educational venture or seeking exciting career opportunities, let the journeys of our international talents guide and inspire you. Discover how Oulu can be the backdrop for your own success story.
Fangying “Fanni” Li is originally from China. Currently, Fanni works at the IH Oulu. She admires Finnish work culture. “Somehow here, this freedom brings you more possibilities. You can do whatever you want.”
Watch Fanni’s story
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Eduardo Acosta is from Colombia. Over the past two years, he has been able to experience all that Oulu has to offer. “When I came here, I was surprised by how you can find many things here, how well connected everything is.”
More about Eduardo’s life
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Shefat Islam came from Bahrain to Oulu and fell in love with the city’s nature. What was most important to her was that her daughter adjusted well. Shefat thinks Oulu is a picturesque and calm place, a postcard city.
Watch Shefat’s interview
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Jun Nakamura decided to move from Japan to Oulu and study for his master’s degree at the University of Oulu. He is very impressed by Finnish sauna culture. “In the sauna, Finns are more open compared to other places.”
See Jun’s story
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Meet Eduardo Tominaga, who’s been living in Oulu for almost 5 years now. He’s a PhD student at the University of Oulu, conducting research on wireless communications as part of the 6G Flagship team. He’s originally from Florianopolis, Brazil.
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Polina’s journey in Finland did not start in Oulu, but she is happy that it led her there. She is now pursuing a degree in Tourism and dreams of doing impactful work at the city services.
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Sara studied her master´s degree in Environmental Engineering at the University of Oulu. She is currently working in KONE as a material specialist.
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Adrian Canales is originally from Texas, USA. He has been living and calling Oulu his home for eleven years. Adrian’s plan coming to Finland was to start a new chapter of his life, continue his education and start a career.
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Without ever having heard about the city before, Vasilii Balanov decided to seize an opportunity and travelled to Finland, determined to start an adventure in a new country.
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Eduardo Acosta, originally from Colombia, is researching circular economy at the University of Oulu. He is also an International House Oulu Ambassador.
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Beatriz Rocha, 25, came here to do her master’s degree in Learning, Education and Technology. Currently, she works as a Marketing Trainee at BusinessOulu.
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Moving to Oulu has had a significant impact on Arjane’s life. She is from the Netherlands, and moved to Finland in 2018. After living in Jyväskylä for a couple of years, she came to Oulu just over a year ago.
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In a world where individuals seek to experience new beginnings, Naida Valencia’s story motivates the power of stepping out of one’s comfort zone and welcoming the unknown.
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Kevin Marples is originally from the UK and moved to Finland in 2022. Kevin has been working as an intern at International House, Oulu as part of his Integration Training Course.
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Nada Abass is originally from Egypt and currently living in Finland. Nada’s journey took a fascinating turn when she had the opportunity to become a Communication Trainee at International House Oulu.
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In a world full of opportunities, Lukumanu Iddrisu’s remarkable journey took him from the vibrant streets of Ghana to the unique city of Vaasa, Finland.
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Pavani is delighted to share her incredible journey arriving in the enchanting city of Oulu, Finland, in August 2022. Hailing from the beautiful island of Sri Lanka,
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Life has a way of guiding us on unexpected paths, leading to incredible transformations. Meet Bora Kim, a kind individual who had a unique journey from South Korea to Oulu, Finland.
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Jun Nakamura is originally from Japan. Currently, he studies MSc. in International Business Management at the University of Oulu.
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Shefat Islam is originally from Bahrain. Currently, she is a communications intern and studies MSc. in Marketing at the University of Oulu.
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Moamen Ibrahim, 28, is originally from Egypt. He works now as a Machine Learning Engineer at Solita. He has been here in Oulu for five years.
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Vanessa Phekani came to Oulu from Malawi. She hold a bachelor’s degree in public administration and sociology, and a master’s degree in education and globalisation from the University of Oulu.
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Jawad Malik came here from Pakistan to study master’s in education and technology and pursue his passion in telecommunication.
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Kamal Singh came to Oulu in 2010 for his studies from India. At the University of Oulu, he studied to be a wireless communication engineer. Currently, Kamal is working as a Network coordinator.
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Moustafa Khairi is working as a machine learning operations engineer in Oulu. He is 25 years old, and his home city is Alexandria, Egypt.
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Kiran Pandit came to Finland from Nepal and completed a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business at Oulu University of Applied Sciences (OAMK). He is a chairperson of the board of Pintamestarit.
Débora Oliveira, 34, is from São Paulo, Brazil. Besides doing a master’s in education and globalisation at the University of Oulu, she is a communications trainee at Oulu Talent Hub.
Viktors Sobolevs came to Oulu from Latvia, and studied at Oulu University of Applied Sciences (Oamk). Now, he works as a business product manager at Polar.
Right now, Erika Benke is working as a contributor to BBC News and as a freelance journalist. Before moving to Oulu, she lived in London for 23 years. She found here the quality of life she was looking for. “After two years of working in Oulu, I’m still as relaxed as if I was on holiday”, she says.
Oulu Talent Hub Ambassador Chiara Bosetti, originally from Italy, came to Oulu one year ago. “I had great expectations, and I certainly got what I was looking for”, she says.
Doris Yue, 35, came to Oulu from Hong Kong. She is married with a Finnish man and moved to Oulu about two and a half years ago. Now she works as an architect and enjoys her life.
Sharmin Farah came to Oulu from Bangladesh. Her life has changed significantly during the five years she have lived in Finland. Though it has been a rollercoaster ride, I am enjoying this journey, Sharmin says.
Junnaid Iqbal works as a System Simulation Engineer at Nokia. He has been in Oulu nearly two and a half years.
Niyati Kandikanti is an ambassador for Oulu Talent Hub, and she enjoys networking. – There are many opportunities in Oulu to interact with other international students and visit new places.
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Tamara Louis, 30, is an architectural designer living in Oulu. She came here from Russia in September 2012. We interviewed Tamara about her thoughts on living and working in Oulu.
Maja Terning is from Tromsø in Northern Norway. She has been living here in Oulu for 16 years now, and working with BusinessOulu for about eight years.
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